Using Your Veteran Benefits: Choosing a Health Care Facility

Now that you have served our country, you can receive benefits through the Veteran’s Administration. When it comes to long-term and short-term health care, you may not be sure where to begin. Your benefits may cover certain aspects of your care while other required care is not covered. In addition to VA benefits, some people elect to carry additional types of insurance including Medicare or Medicaid. Choosing the right nursing home or senior housing facility is important and you need to weigh what your options are (Know Your Coverage: Nursing Home Approval or Bust).

Nursing Homes and Veteran Benefits

Veteran benefits are given to service members and can be used to pay for nursing home care. The nursing homes must be VA nursing homes and the resident cannot be in need of immediate hospital care.

There are requirements that must be met to be accepted into a VA nursing home. Space is always limited and goes first to veterans who have a disability related to their service.

Home Health Care and Veteran Benefits

VA benefits are available to those who do not live close to a VA center or those who are considered homebound. Veteran benefits do cover home health care services by skilled nursing professionals. There are benefits to receiving care in your home including independence.

Home health aides and nurses are often used as a means to avoid going into a nursing home or assisted living facility. Choosing to receive care in your home is a great way to utilize your benefits.

Assisted Living and Veteran Benefits

An assisted living facility is not considered a covered option under VA benefits. Usually, veteran’s benefits will cover portions of the care the veteran receives, but insurance will not cover the veteran’s rent or other room and board expenses.

Veteran’s benefits can be used to offset some of the costs should an assisted living facility be the choice you make, but you must verify which services are covered and which services are not covered and then plan your budget.

Hospice and Veteran Benefits

Veteran benefits do cover hospice and palliative care for its members. There are different types of hospice care and the VA can choose the appropriate care to cover. When it comes time to choose a hospice facility, it is important to speak with the VA prior to enrolling and switching over to ensure benefits will continue.

Choosing the Right Facility

Choosing the right facility for yourself may seem difficult at first, but it will become much easier as you narrow down your budget, what care you need, and what care you want to have (Live Where You’re Comfortable: Funding and Family). After you have this list narrowed, you can begin searching for approved care facilities.

You always want to make sure you visit the facilities first to ensure they are equipped to handle you, your condition, and more. Choosing the right facility is a personal decision that you and your family can make together once you have all of the information you need in front of you.